MANAGUA -- An airplane named Hercules of the Venezuelan Air Force landed yesterday in Managua with 12 tons of supplies for the estimated 50,000 people affected this week by Hurricane Felix as it tore through the country.

President Daniel Ortega welcomed the C-130 plane at 2:30 p.m. In addition to bags containing drinking water, food, medicine, tools, blankets, tents and hammocks, Venezuela sent Cuban doctors and experts in damage evaluation.

Ortega said his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chávez offered to station this aircraft in Nicaragua to serve as a base for humanitarian services.

Venezuela is also expected to send two MI-17 helicopters to the northern Caribbean region, the hardest hit by the hurricane.

A group of 28 Red Cross workers are also scheduled to arrive to Nicaragua today to help with rescue work and search for missing people, according to a statement. They plan to stay in the country for 15 days and focus on the northeastern corner of the country.

Hurricane Felix destroyed some 9,000 houses and left 38 people dead, 17,000 homeless and 200 missing in Nicaragua, according to the latest counts.

-ACAN-EFE